Maybe this is long overdue. The Holidays are past, but it is a new year.
I do not own bleach.
And winters come, and my love, the winters go
And time stacks up in piles like winter snow
And everything you love and hold so dear
Won't really matter when we disappear-- Men of Snow, Ingrid Michealson
Smiles of Snow
A snowfall begins with a snowflake, one single piece of millions released from the sky, falling from the ceiling of the world to mirror the heavens above. They were carried on the back of the wind, too light to fall on their own, gently floating downward so tranquilly that all of nature stood still and listened.
Even the wayward flying bird landed on a crystal branch that once held rainbow leaves and hushed its song to take note of the slow and mythical dance of the snowflakes.
"It's magical."
There was a pregnant pause in which Ishida apprehensively transferred his gaze towards the girl beside him. He assumed she would meet his eyes but she was looking into the distance, her eyes glazed with a warm memory.
"Yes," he remarked rather late, for all he saw were bothersome particles of ice that made it too cold for his liking and a rather brainless bird that seemed to have forgotten its annual migration.
She emerged from the spell and her eyes widened in excitement as she gazed at the breathtaking sight. "Do you think it's an enchantment?"
"An enchantment?" He enunciated every syllable as he asked again, just to confirm he had heard her correctly.
She nodded firmly.
"I don't believe so…" He looked away and poked the rim of his frosty glasses, sniffing once or twice before she responded.
"But it must be!" she said defiantly, crouching to gather the snow into her hands, "How else do we wake up into a different world?!"
Blinking once, Ishida looked around and took notice of where they were. It was unrecognizable because of the snow, but maybe that was what she meant. He exhaled slowly and made a cloud of his breath, it really was a beautiful new world…
He glanced back at her and noticed that the tip of her nose was cherry red as were her cheeks, flushed with excitement. He felt good that at least her ears were warm, lost beneath pink fuzzy earmuffs, but he observed that her lips were still chapped as she licked the snowball—
"Inoue--san!" He squeaked fretfully, attempting to grasp the frozen ball of ice, but she guarded it safely.
"Did you want some?" she asked, obviously frustrated, "You should have asked."
She pricked off a little portion with her fingers and handed it to him, but unknowing of what to do, Ishida stared at it.
"Eat it," she instructed him, putting a piece in her own mouth. Ishida winced as she swallowed.
He did as she said. "It tastes like ice."
"Don't you think it would go great with one of my recipes?"
Repositioning his blue hat that she made him wear, he told her that she could just buy some regular ice instead.
"But it's not the same! Magic in your food would just make it sooo much better, don't you think?"
He scratched his head, "What are you planning to make with it?"
There was a pause before he could make out what the certain sparkle in her eye signified, but she grabbed hold of his hand faster then the time he needed to make it out. Lacing her slender fingers with his awkward ones, she began to run into the clearing.
"Inoue-san--"
Her grey eyes danced as she led him into the open clearing. He also realized that he should have bought her mittens because her hands were really too cold.
"We're going to make snowmen!" She exclaimed, settling for a patch of perfectly flat ground. She knelt down and beckoned him to sit beside her. After a few moments of hesitation, he slowly made himself comfortable sitting in the frozen rain.
"Now make three big snowballs," she instructed him. Uncomfortably, he scraped together some snow and began to pack it in firm. She shook her head.
"Make sure its good snow, not the kind that will fall apart."
After dozens of these tedious instructions which he took on with some determination, they achieved a lopsided, but a satisfactory snowman complete with eyes and hands.
"It's missing something," she observed, scrutinizing their work and scratching her chin as if in deep thought.
Glancing at her then back at the snowman, he shook off his hat and placed it on its head.
Quite surprised, she looked at him questioningly.
"It still needs something…"
She furrowed her brow as she examined the snowman yet again for a few moments until she burst into giggles with the discovery of the missing piece.
She slipped of her earmuffs and positioned it over Ishida's blue hat.
"Ishida-kun," she said, admiring their now complete creation, "did you know that snowmen fall from the sky?"
He cocked his head in her direction, utterly confused.
She nodded in remembrance.
Gently, she carved a smile into the snowman's features and then turned and looked at him for a few moments, her eyes searching his.
"I guess it really is magical."
Her lips curled into her unforgettable smile and he felt warm again as she rested her head against his shoulder, taking a sincere delight in the snowman.
"I told you so."